Pellegrini and Betis familiar pawns in Maresca’s search for winning move

Chelsea can become the first English team to win all four European trophies – and much of their manager’s strategy is rooted in chessNow for the bonus prize. After the joy of achieving their main goal for the season by securing a return to the Champions League with victory against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, a triumph that led Enzo Maresca to narrow his eyes, dial down the charm and tell critics of his young side to “eff off”, there is little pressure on Chelsea’s men before they attempt to lift the first piece of silverware of the BlueCo era by beating Real Betis in the Uefa Conference League final on Wednesday night.The stakes are low. The opponents look awkward but vulnerable. For Chelsea, the sense is that this is one to tick off before they rejoin Europe’s elite. After all, they are aware they have been a strange presence in the Conference League. This is not a place for a squad built at a cost of over £1bn. The financial reward is minimal and prestige is not on offer. Chelsea, who were champions of Europe four years ago, are hardly going to be feted if they win a tournament that Uefa invented for sides operating on much smaller budgets. Continue reading...

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